GENT, Belgium (Interstat) — In a stunning reversal of pregame projections, Gent delivered a commanding 4-2 victory over rival Anderlecht in a Belgian First Division A match Sunday at Planet Group Arena, defying overwhelming odds that favored the visitors.

The match, played on Jan. 18, 2026, was expected to be a comfortable outing for Anderlecht. According to Interstat’s pregame analysis, Anderlecht held a 78.90 percent probability to win, with their ELO system projecting a 2-1 final score for the visitors. Instead, Gent authored a comprehensive comeback to start their league season with a win while handing Anderlecht an opening defeat.

Anderlecht’s early play initially justified the high expectations. Forward Nilson Angulo struck twice in the first half, opening the scoring in just the fourth minute and adding a second in the 43rd minute to give the visitors a commanding 2-0 lead at halftime. The first half was also marked by disciplinary issues, with three yellow cards issued in quick succession around the half-hour mark to Gent’s Siebe Van der Heyden and Anderlecht’s Colin Coosemans and Marco Kana.

The complexion of the match changed entirely in a frantic final 15 minutes. Gent’s comeback began in the 81st minute when Tiago Araújo found the net to cut the deficit to 2-1. The rally turned into a stunning collapse for Anderlecht just three minutes later, as Gent’s Max Dean equalized in the 84th minute to level the score at 2-2.

With momentum fully shifted, Gent completed the turnaround in stoppage time. Hyllarion Goore scored the decisive goal in the fourth minute of added time to seal a remarkable 3-2 lead. Araújo, who had started the rally, then received a yellow card in the 88th minute as tensions flared. The scoring was capped by an own goal from an Anderlecht player in the dying moments, resulting in the emphatic 4-2 final score. The second half saw four additional yellow cards issued to players from both sides.

The result immediately resets the early season dynamics. Gent begins its First Division A campaign with a victory, moving its league record to one win and no losses. Anderlecht, conversely, starts with a loss, standing at no wins and one loss. The records mirror each team’s overall form across all competitions this season.

The victory provides Gent with significant early-season momentum, particularly coming against a favored opponent in such dramatic fashion. For Anderlecht, the defeat raises immediate questions after a performance where a two-goal lead dissolved into a multi-goal loss, defying both statistical models and on-field expectations.